Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-01-06

shoulder, made, he thinks, by striking some
timber when he and hts seat were forced
through the roof of the car. The skin on
tho back OF his bead Ia also loosenad and
forced forward. In addition he has b. uises
all over his body. He was very nervous
and not able, he said, to recall I'LL the Incl
dents that had occurred.
Prof. Francis Kendall of Crete, Neb said
II was sitting In the first class coach which
was coupled just IN the rear of the smoking
car and ahead OF the two sleepets. Our
first intimatlon of danger was the sharp APP
plication of the brakes and the reversing
Of the engine with such suddenness that we
were thrown forward In our seats. Then
came deafening crash In front Of US and
our car was shaken up as IL by
an earthquake. All the gInss in
the windows was broken. We were
thrown all over the car, and the
women screamed. We all got out as quickly
cars were one pile OF kindling wood and
had already caught FIRE. We tried to aid
those at work on the burning cars but the
heat was 40 intense that we were driven
back. There We're several persons to be
seen In the flames, but they were beyond
human help. Some of these were alive and
their cries could be heard. We then ran
forward to the engine. Here we found the
fireman jammed In between the boiler
head and water tank. With axe, saws
and timbers, we worked for nearly an hour
to release him but without success. BE was
caught by the legs and he finally died be-
fore our eyes, having uttered hardlyn word
though conscious till the. last. Fred B-tzold
of Rushville, Neh., was another who escaped.
His wife was in my coach. He found him
self caught by both legs and with great
difficulty succeeded in wTenehing himself
free just before the flames reached
him. He told me that there was
man on each side Of him and
that one Of them caught him
some time before he could free himself
from his desperate clasp. Each was jammed
In past help. He then jumped ten feet to
the ground. Beyond severe bruises he was
not hurt How the fourth man got out he
did not know, nor did anybody 81 9. We
found him lying on the snow with his skull
laid bare. I presume he was shot bod ly
out OF the wreck. We carried him to one
II tho slaepers, and the surgeons said he
could hardly live.
The statements made concerning the
can of the disaster by the crew Of the
freight train were very conflicting. fbe
general excuse given was that they thought
there was time to reach Republic before the
express arrived. They knew they were
running on the time Of the express but
Tiffln and Republic are but five
miles apart. They did not agree
rs to whether the freight was stand
ing still or moving. A brakeman
said the freight was moving slowly, while
others of thecrew said it was standing still,
having become stalled. There were
probably go people on the train, and about
80 OF them came on to Chicago on the train
with me. Ii was the most sickening and
horrible sight that man ever saw.
Several other passengers tell substantially
the same story. All unite in saying that the
death Of NJ. II. Parks, who is supposed to
have been connected with the bureau Of
labor statistics at Washington, was un-
doubtedly the saddcst and most heart
rendtng OF the whole wreck. When the
crash came he was riding In the smoker.
He succeeded In getting the upper half Of
his body out OF the coach window, when
his legs were pinned ny tho debris II the
Interior of the car and there no was burned
to death before the Dyes AZ those oniaide
who could do nothing for him
II shall never forget It." said one OF the
survivors. Az the flames were creeping
closer and closer to him he caine to the cou-
clusion that he was doomed to the most
horrible of deaths. He pitched his pocket
book to US and gave us the address ot his
mother In Washington. After thar the
flames closed around him and we did not
see him again"
WHAT THE n. AND o. OFFICIALS SAY.
BALTIMORE, Jan. 5.-The officials of the
b. u o. railroad here state that no further
particulars of the accident near Republic,
Ohio, have been received. They have re-
ceived no further information as to the
killed and wounded other than that fur
ntshed by the Associated Press.
The locomotives were reduced to a con
fused mass OF iron and brass. Tho ears
telescoped, and Are breaking out RAPIDLY
enreloped tho train in flames. About one
third OF the 65 passengers were killed out.
right, or imprisoned In tho wreck aud
burned to death in full view OF the uuin-
iured passengers, who were poworless to
lend any assistance, ard could only stand
by and hear the pitifnl shrieks Of the hnrn-
ing victime, minGling with the roar OF tho
CrlGhtlul contlagration.
The express train, In charge OF Conductor
Tom Haskell, Engineer Len Eastman and
Fireman William Frederick, consisted of To-
connective No 1864 mail car, baggage cut, exc
press car, one coach and two sleepars. The
freight, in charge OF Conductor Fletcher,
Engineer Killer and Fireman j. W. Oulison,
was made up Of locomotive No. 925, l6
loaded cars and some empty Rondolas In
tho smoker were IL or 10 passengers, some
OF them immigrants, of whom only two es-
capped alive, and one Of them an Irish i'm.
migrant, was so crushed aud burned that
ne cannot live.
William Postlethwaite, his wlfe, md their
five children left their former home in Bel.
ton, W. Va, and took passage on the i'll
starred train, intending to settle iu Chilli
cothe, Mo. The head OF the family carried
on his person the entire family wealth,
amounting to about 81 $50 In money, drafts
and notes. He and the two older sons, aged
ls aud IL, were imprisoned 10 tho wreck
and burned alive, while the mother with
two babes in her arms and a4-years-old boy
at her side, escaped, she cannot tell how,
and, after wandering about in the snow,
erazed with the horrors of the situation,
size finally strayed to farmhouse
whore she saw light, and was kindly
cared for by the inmates. As she went and
walled over her overwhelming los of all
the support she had In the world, husband
and two sons cremated in her sight, and
all the money swallowed In the memorable
flame, It was pitiful to hear the prattling
4-year-old try to comfort her. Don't cry,
mamma, III get papap
The express engineer on seeing the col
lisiOn inevitable, blew the whistle for down
brakes reversed his engine, jumped through
the cab window, taking the sash with him,
and alighted In huge snow drift, escaping
serious injuries.
Coroner LepLer arrived as early as POSI-
bic after hearing of the accident, and will
make careful Investigation.
Drs. Leahy, Wenner, and Willard, Of
THIN, were taken to the scene Of the dis
aster on hand cur about 4o'clock, and as
sisted the local physicians In dressing the
wounds of those Injured ones mot past the
aid OF surgical skin. A number OF watches
wore found In the wreck.
Piercey, the express messenger, was
burned to crisp, His home Is at Wheel
ing. Among the current reports Is one that
the engineer, fireman and entire crew OF
the freight, exhausted from protracted
hours Of uninterrupted work, had sought
a stimulus In liquor and, as the result.
were all drunk. 1t was reported that Con.
gressman seney was on the train, as he in
tended to take It, but he was happily de-
tained at home.